


Hold Onto Hope (If You've Got It)

by tigermochaeyu



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 16:56:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12085308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigermochaeyu/pseuds/tigermochaeyu
Summary: Trini keeps running from Kim and Kim just wants to be her friend.





	Hold Onto Hope (If You've Got It)

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from 26 by Paramore, which I suggest you listen to while you read because a) it's a great song and b) I listened to it while I wrote it so it'll give you the full effect.

Kim doesn't get why Trini keeps running from her.

First at the cliff after they found the coins. Kim tried getting Trini to just talk to her, to any of them really, but the girl threw herself over a ravine to avoid her. Kim had to literally drag her down the cliffside just to get Trini to follow the others.

Then after Trini attacked Rita. After Jason gave his less-than-inspiring speech about being screw ups and they began running to the docks, Kim had tried to catch up with Trini, tried asking if she was okay. Trini had shrugged her off, grunting that she was fine and that Kim didn't need to worry, before running about faster and leaving Kim in the dust.

Even now, the girl is still running from her.

They've been Power Rangers for a few months now, and while they're all nearly inseparable, Trini is still more closed off than the rest of them. Especially with Kim. The pink ranger vaguely wonders what she did to make the other girl dislike her so much. She tried to extend her friendship out to the yellow ranger multiple times, from a Krispy Kreme run to offering to help her with their biology homework. But Trini continues to shrug her off, giving her short answers and half assed excuses.

It upsets Kim more than it angers her.

So she just stops trying as much, figures if she gives Trini space then she'll approach her, she'd probably feel safer that way anyways.

It doesn't work, and Kim feels even worse than before.

It isn't until Zordon calls for an emergency meeting that things change and come to light.

Zordon and Alpha 5 warn the rangers that an enemy named Lord Zedd is coming soon and that he is just as strong, if not stronger, than Rita. Zordon makes a side remarks that he is probably coming to avenge his wife.

"Wife?" Zack asks with such shock that Kim feels the emotion vibrate in her chest. "That ugly hag has a husband and my beautiful self can't even get a date? Outrageous."

Kim wants to laugh at his comment, but Alpha 5 is addressing her, telling her that she and Trini will go ahead and scout out where this villain is hiding.

"Why us?" Trini asks, sounding almost appalled at the notion of having to go alone with Kim. The pink ranger prays none of the rangers can feel the harsh stab of disappointment in her own chest.

(Judging by the soft look Billy gives her, they did.)

Alpha 5 explains that Trini and Kim are the smallest, most lithe rangers, as well as the fastest runners, so it makes logical sense to send them on a scouting mission. Even if they do have the brightest colors on the team.

Sighing dejectedly, Trini agrees, looking at Kim expectantly as her armor begins to weave itself over skin. Kim flashes her a half smile, obviously fake and filled with hurt (whether the shorter girl can tell, Kim doesn't know), letting her armor take over her skin as well. 

Alpha 5 tells them that Lord Zedd is hiding out on the other side of the mountains, rallying his troops and gathering intel on Angel Grove, so they must act fast. The two girls nod, exiting the ship and leaping through the underground lake before taking off in the direction of their enemy.

-

Despite their carefulness and stealth, Lord Zedd manages to capture them.

He throws them into a small cave with a fire for light, using his staff to raise the ground above the entrance and seal them in indefinitely. Trini pounds as hard as she can onto the rock, trying everything she can to get it to budge.

"It's no use," Kim calls out tiredly. Trying to fight Lord Zedd's putties proved significantly more difficult than Rita's, leaving her exhausted between fighting for her life and getting kidnapped. Praying that the signal would go through, Kim morphs back into her armor, hoping the guys hear her when she says, "We've been kidnapped, we're stuck in a cave, and Lord Zedd has a magic staff that can do just about anything. Be careful," before her armor dematerialized from exhaustion once again.

Kim looks over at Trini, her forehead resting on the rock wall blocking the entrance as her chest heaves up and down for oxygen. Kim kind of hates that she's stuck alone with Trini, because she's no doubt making the other girl uncomfortable, but she figures if they're going to die here she might as well get some answers.

"Trini," she calls out, the other girl stopping her assault on the wall to give Kim her attention. "There's no use."

"God I hate this," Trini mumbles, stepping away from the wall but not looking in Kim's direction.

"Being kidnapped?"

"Being a Power Ranger," Trini admits, and Kim's mouth falls open slightly in shock of the truth finally coming out of the yellow ranger's mouth. "I mean honestly, everything was fine until we found these coins. Everything was fine until I had to start risking my life to save the world that I don't even like. Everything was fine until.."

Trini trails off, her shoulders falling in defeat as she turns to stand by the fire, opposite the side of Kim. She doesn't finish her thought, Kim doesn't expect her to.

"Why do you hate me?" Kim asks instead, her voice small and filled with insecurity. Trini's head whips up, eyes wide in shock and confusion at the question.

"What are you talking about? I don't hate you?" Trini says, too quickly for Kim's liking.

"You don't talk to me like you do the others. You shrug me off when I try to talk first. You never want to be alone with me. I'm pretty sure that you do hate me, Trini," Kim lists off sadly, running a hand tiredly through her matted locks.

"Kim I-" Trini swallows, composes herself, hesitates. "I don't hate you, Kim. I promise."

"Then why don't you talk to me? Why don't we ever hang out?" Kim asks, looking Trini in the eyes. The yellow ranger's eyes are sunken in from tiredness. Kim bets hers look the same.

They're all so tired.

"I.." Trini tries, her mouth opening and closing as she tries to formulate some kind of response. It makes Kim's heart sink to see Trini scrambling for an answer, trying to thing of a lie to comfort the pink ranger. "I can't exactly explain. I'm not used to having.. friends."

"You hang out with Zack and Billy all the time, even Jason sometimes," Kim points out, trying to get Trini to just admit that she doesn't like her so she can move on. If she would just tell her the truth, she would stop bugging her.

"I'm not used to having friends that are girls," Trini corrects herself. "Most of them find out that I'm gay and call me a dyke or out me to the whole school for their own amusement. So it's a natural habit to push away anyone of the same sex for me."

"But you know I'm not like that," Kim says, almost pleadingly, like she's trying to convince Trini. "You know I would never do that."

"Do I?" Trini asks with a small bite to your tone. "You're incredibly impulsive, Kim. You tore down your own best friend on a whim."

Kim feels the bile rise in her throat at the mention of what she did to Amanda. Feels herself almost throw up at the fact that Trini has a logical reason to not trust her. Instead, she nods defeatedly, sliding down the cave wall until she's sitting against it.

"I'm sorry I just-" Trini says, shaking her head slightly. "I shouldn't have said that. I know you aren't that person anymore. I'm just not used to a girl wanting to be my friend."

Kim looks up, sees the sincerity and the guilt in Trini's eyes, sighing as she nods towards the yellow ranger.

"I.. I'll try, okay?" Trini's voice fills the air, Kim's eyes meeting hers in confusion. "I'll try to be better at letting you in. It's gonna take me a while, but I promise I'll try."

Kim looks at Trini, fights the smile that's threatening to break out on her face, before nodding softly. "We might as well start now. Who knows if we'll ever make it out of this cave."

Trini nods, a small smile playing on her lips, and Kim can't stop her own smile anymore as it matches the yellow ranger's.

-

"Do you really hate being a Power Ranger?" Kim asks a month later. The boys had managed to use their Zords to free the girl, who immediately morphed and launched into the fight. They stayed by each other's sides for once as they punched their way through hundreds of Lord Zedd's putties, eventually reaching the big man himself and tag teaming him while the boys kept the putties off of their backs. It took a while and a lot of effort, but they finally took Lord Zedd's staff from him and apprehended him.

As Trini promised, the girls began to become friends, growing closer with every passing day until Trini and Kim were as inseparable as Zack and Trini. They fought together, studied together, sometimes even slept together. Apparently it helped to have someone sleep beside you to ward off the nightmares, and Kim and Trini have become increasingly fond of the idea of actually being able to sleep, so sleepovers became a habit.

Now, the girls are at Kim's spot in the mountains; a small pool of water beneath a cliff, surrounded by tall trees and the sounds of nature engulfing them. The sun has just begun to set, it's light illuminating Trini with a golden glow as she stares at the pink clouds above. The yellow ranger is rested against one of the trees, her right arm draped over her propped up knee while the other is splayed across her stomach. Kim is resting cross legged against a tree across from her, Trini's foot sitting against her leg gently as she stares at the yellow ranger, waiting for an answer.

"I hate what comes with it," Trini answers, her eyes never leaving the sky. Apparently she can feel Kim's curious stare because she sighs, collecting her thoughts before she answers. "We're all suffering, Kim. Zack is terrified of not making it home to his mom. Jason is letting the weight of the world crush him as he tries to handle being our fearless leader. Billy.. Billy died, Kim." The pink ranger nods softly as she realizes what Trini means. 

"You wake up gasping for breath and clutching at your own skin because you can't stop remembering what it's like to suffocate and be burned alive. I wake up screaming because I can't forget the feeling of Rita attacking me in my own room," Trini continues, her voice softer as she talks about the two of them, almost as though she's afraid to break Kim and herself. But Kim gets it. She's not okay. None of them are okay.

"It's like we survived, but dealing with the repercussions of everything and trying to keep ourselves from drowning in the chaos is even worse than surviving," Trini finishes softly, the air between them quiet for a moment, save for the birds and the breeze rustling the leaves.

"At least we have each other," Kim says softly, nervously playing with her fingers at her admission. Lately, against her better judgement, Kim has allowed herself to think of Trini in a new light. A light that scares the absolute shit out of her, if she's being completely honest. But with what Trini is saying and the reality of their situation, Kim doesn't really know how long she's got left to tell her the truth.

Trini lets a breath of a laugh pass through her lips. "Yeah, I don't know where I would be without you guys."

Kim swallows thickly, her nerves creeping up on her. Before she can convince herself to not say anything, to laugh it off and agree with Trini as she buries her feelings beneath the surface once again, she scoots forward, resting her palm on Trini's calf to gain her attention. Trini's eyes finally tear themselves from the sky, looking at Kim with concern as the pink ranger takes a shaky breath.

"I meant just us," Kim settles with, hoping Trini understands the weight behind what she's saying. Trini, much to her delight, does, a twinkle in her eye accompanied by a small smile making its way onto her face. Her knee drops, leaning forward to gently take Kim's hand in her own.

"Yeah, we have each other," Trini smiles, a kind of smile Kim has never seen her smile before. Paired with the glow of the sun, it knocks the air right out of Kim's lungs. Instead of panicking over the contact between them, Kim matches her smile, holding onto her hand like it's the only hope she has left in this world.

-

It takes less than ten minutes for things to come crashing down.

Kim and Trini are still sitting in the trees, hand in hand, when two different text tones fill the air and break the spell between the two of them. Sharing a worried look, they check their phones, their eyes meeting before they stand and run towards the cave entrance.

Zack: Rita's back for Zedd, hurry

-

As if the universe hasn't made them suffer enough, it finds one more way to destroy Kimberly.

After defeating Rita, the green anti-ranger made one final effort to destroy the rangers. With a wild throw, a sharp and jagged rock is launched into the air, a sickening noise accompanying it as it buries itself directly into Trini's stomach.

Zack is by her side first, holding her in his lap as he starts babbling out false securities, tears falling down his cheeks. Jason is next, telling Trini to hang in there. Then Billy, checking the rock's size and where it landed to see if Trini will be able to survive and heal.

Kim, however, Kim is running.

She's running at Rita screaming like a wild animal, scaring not only the evil ranger but her own teammates with how feral she sounds. Rita puts up a fight, but she can't match the sheer rage in Kim's movements, the ferocity in her strikes. Before anyone can realize it, Rita's staff is thrown to the floor and Kim has her in a chokehold, moments from snapping her neck and killing her for good, when Jason calls out for her to stop.

"We can take her staff, take her coin, just don't kill her!" He yells, but Kim's eyes are only on Trini, who's staring back at her with wide eyes. She shakes her head, letting Kim know to listen to Jason, and with a swift punch she knocks Rita unconscious.

Jason thanks her for not killing Rita, but Kim isn't listening. Instead, she scoops up Trini into her arm, running as fast as her burning legs will take her to the ship.

-

Trini wakes up a few hours later, Kim sighing thankfully beside her as the remainder of her tears fall down her cheeks.

"Kim?" Trini croaks, Kim shaking her head in disbelief as she stares down at the yellow rangers.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, you idiot," Kim chokes out between sobs, earning a small laugh from the Latina before her face goes soft at the sight of Kim's red, puffy eyes.

"I'm okay, Kim, I'm okay," Trini chants softy into the air, grasping as tightly as her tired body will allow her to Kim's hand. Kim just keeps sobbing, her head resting in the crook of her elbow that's laying on Trini's thigh. The yellow ranger rubs her back softly, keeping Kim grounded and reminding her that she's here. She's alive. She's okay.

Kim doesn't leave her side until the hole in her stomach is healed, until she can eat solid food again, until she can walk again. She refuses to.

-

Kim knocks softly on the window leading to Trini's room, the yellow ranger lifting the window quietly to allow the other girl inside.

"Kim? Is everything okay?" Trini asks, and Kim wants to laugh or maybe even cry because no, no it isn't.

"You almost died last week and I couldn't even breathe at the thought of losing you," Kim says instead, pacing back and forth across Trini's room. "I had to hold your dying body in my arms, Trini. I-It was like Billy all over again and I just-" Kim runs a hand through her hair, aggravated that she can't get the words out.

"Woah, Kim, slow down," Trini says, catching the pink ranger by the shoulder, her other hand grabbing the other shoulder once she gets Kim to stop pacing and face her. Kim looks down at Trini, how her eyes search Kim's worriedly, how her brow is scrunched in concern. But mostly, she looks at how she's breathing, how she can see the girl's pulse against her neck, how she's alive.

It hits Kim just how much Trini means to her in this moment. How much this girl has changed her life. How this girl is the last hope she has in this world. She doesn't think twice when she leans down and connects their lips, her hands grasping gently at Trini's hips while Trini's hands move from her shoulders to loop around her neck, eagerly reciprocating.

It's like everything has been leading up to this moment. The tension between her and Trini when the yellow ranger refused to be her friend. The kidnapping that allowed their friendship to begin. The protectiveness they developed over each other. The half hearted confession in the trees on the mountain. Kim is angry with herself that it took Trini almost dying again for her to realize just how much she cares for the yellow ranger, but she's not going to let her go ever again.


End file.
